Context Clues
by CrimsonAccent
Summary: Before Juniper, Grover had a crush on a blueberry bush, who is never mentioned again, and for good reason; he just wants to banish the specter from his mind. 11/20/10: minor edits


And thus begins my foray into a new fandom :D This is dedicated to Astoria Goode, who I shall hopefully be going to see Harry Potter with and throw popcorn at all the saps who die. This wasn't intended to have such a serious twist, but I guess I just can't do purely light hearted stuff. I apologize if ff ate some of my words, and go spam Astoria, she's awesome.

Context Clues

Bleating, I felt myself go completely red, and was glad Percy wasn't able to use the empathy link between us to its fullest potential. But overriding the relief was the mortification of realizing onions had been slipped into that last plate of enchiladas. I had just shot my chance (however slim) with Juniper! I wish Kronos wasn't so evil, because I really needed a journey back in time to get myself out of this mess. Since that was out of reach, maybe Nico could let me sneak into Hades and take a dip in the river of forgetfulness, the Lethe.

As I avoid her eyes (hard to do, pinned beneath her after causing her to fall with my clumsiness), I can't help but remember all my screw-ups. My past mistakes come back to attack me.

Taking precedence was the infamous Blueberry Bush Incident. After helping retrieve the Golden Wool, while being rescued from Polyphemus and his sheep (I still have nightmares of being the blinded Cyclops's bride) by Percy, Annabeth, Clarisse...and Tyson, I was a bit of a minor celebrity among the nature spirits, except for the elders, who had long memories and were slow to forgive.

Remembering her blue eyes and dark brown hair wasn't hard. She was, for good or for bad (really, really bad), ingrained deeply into my psyche. Branded might be a better word.

Regrettably Unforgettable.

Percy hadn't stayed over the summer, and neither had Annabeth, so I was a bit lonely and eager to chat with the suddenly friendly nymphs. I'm not completely romantically oblivious like Percy, but I'm not an expert flirt, like Pine my cousin, or outrageous like Gleeson Hedge, so to say I wasn't expecting or prepared for some of the more forward and adventurous nymphs' advances, was an understatement.

When my saving grace sashayed my way, I welcomed her with open arms. Virginia, or "Jenny", as only her friends were allowed to call her, didn't seem just interested in only my abrupt fame or the default prestige that came with being Percy Jackson's friend. She appreciated me for myself.

I don't have a problem with being in Percy's shadow; I know he isn't a coward like me, or a so-so fighter. The fact is, I wouldn't envy all pressure and expectations that came with being a son of Poseidon.

And as I soon found out, I didn't handle my brief time in the limelight very well in the first place.

Jenny wasn't fond of straying far from her bush, but I hadn't minded the limitation. It didn't seem that high a price to pay for a pretty girl's attention. I made it a point to make the trip to the edge of the woods at least once a day, twice if I was able, to go and chat with the bush spirit.

"So why the name Virginia?" I had asked one day. Most nymphs were named either after their plant or local area, so I wondered at the origin of her name.

She stared at me seriously, but before I started to worry I might have said something wrong, she giggled. "What kind of question is that, silly? Why are you named Grover?"

I might have mumbled something like "Just curious…" Or some other excuse, but I suspect she didn't hear me (or, in retrospect, even cared about my answer), because she plowed on without pause.

"I'm originally from Virginia, but I was transplanted here two years ago."

"Why?" Transplants were nearly unheard of. "Was there a fire, or were you a garden bush…?"

Jenny was quiet and her face solemn. She was slowly closing herself off and I worried I'd stumbled into a personal or forbidden subject. Finally she seemed to come to a decision and drew closer to me. I couldn't help but notice that our thighs were touching. Grasping my hand, she took a deep breath, "I don't remember much. It was hot and dry and the food I tried to take from the soil was _bad_, it made me burn. From what I've heard from other nymphs, my land was probably being poisoned." Tears were coming to her eyes now. I squeezed her hand sympathetically.

Pollution affected everyone. I didn't feel it as directly as naiads and nymphs, but as a satyr I was still sensitive to nature being harmed, unlike humans who were oblivious and completely disconnected from the natural world.

Anger colored her words now, snapping me out of my reverie. "The textile factory a mile away was dumping chemicals into the river. No consideration at all! Never mind those twittering naiads, those chemicals were seeping into the soil and hurting _me_." Alarmed, I patted her on the arm and then mentally holding my breath, plunged in for the kill and gave her a sympathetic hug.

She stiffened and made to shove me away, but seemed to think better of it and let me hold her. I could feel her shaking and I felt terrible for her. How traumatic the whole ordeal must have been. Unlike water or air spirits, earth spirits were very stationary and didn't take moving to new locations very well. Change was taken slowly. And having to suffer poisoning on top of it…I found I could forgive her brief outburst of anger.

Jenny never returned the hug, but eventually calmed. She sniffed and then separated herself from me.

I said nothing, not wanting to embarrass her. Jenny was always a prideful creature and I didn't want to remark on her feeling of weakness-it would only make her feel worse.

"You're so nice Grover." She said, wiping a single tear from her eye and disappeared, melding back into her blueberry bush.

Strangely, after that incident, I felt farther away from her. Instead of growing closer and bonding over the shared secret, she seemed to retract back into her shell and avoided me. I was disappointed but accepted it, resigned to the idea that she just needed time to cool down again before resuming our friendship. I hoped that time was all it would take.

A week passed before I talked to Jenny again. I was bogged down with chores and requests from the Elders; being the errand boy sucked. However I didn't dare complain after the reprieve I received last year when I nearly failed in escorting Percy to camp. During that time Juniper had caught my eye, and I exchanged a few pleasant words, but nothing serious. I was too tired and busy, and my mind kept straying back to the reticent blueberry bush, so we had few topics to safely talk about without me being rude or boring her to death.

Juniper was cheery and lively, and by contrast, Jenny seemed to grow colder and morose. I knew I should give it up, but something mysterious kept drawing me back, like a fly to honey, or Dionysus to wine.

I thought back to the last day we had _really_ talked in earnest. Her dark blue eyes, that were sparkling yet dark and entirely enticing, and the way they had been chlorophyll-shot after her break down, giving them a greenish-tinge. Eerily it made her eyes almost glow yellow. I had a nasty feeling that she was withholding something from me, a secret of some sort. Is that why Jenny had been avoiding me? Out of guilt?

At the end of fall, she was the one that approached me for once. She stood outside the Big House looking cool, calm and confident like she usually did. Jenny always appeared to be in control. I was puzzled why she was here, but didn't look the gift horse in the mouth, appreciating the chance to reconcile whatever had driven her away.

"Follow me."

I did as she said, thinking she might be more open in private. We went to the edge of the woods, past the strawberry fields and Zeus' Fist, to her bush, like old times, except in old times, I had trod this path alone. We passed her bush, puzzling me. I looked around and realized we hadn't passed the blueberry shrub-it was _missing_.

"Jenny, have you been uprooted? Do you need help?" I asked quickly.

She had her back to me. "No." She pivoted slowly and smiled. "I've come to say good-bye Grover."

Jenny lazily came forward, like a cat, and paused only inches away from my face. I could see her skin clearly for the first time and saw how it was a mottled red in some places, like old burns. I was taken so off guard, I nearly missed when she leaned in and gave me a kiss on the lips. I froze and did nothing. I hadn't expected my first kiss to come out of this mysterious meeting. Jenny pulled away, for a moment looking like her old self, like she might burst out with a giggle at any moment.

And then that completely evaporated. So did my crush, with her next words.

"I must go back to my master; Kronos doesn't like to be kept waiting." Her face was cold as she the words rolled off her tongue gracefully, colder than any blizzard New York could throw at me.

I'd been sucker-punched, figuratively and literally. I wheezed as I felt her breath hot against my ear. "I'm sorry if you were hurt, but some things are just _necessary_."

After that I was shipped off to a military-style boarding school to sniff out more Half-bloods.

The news that Jenny had been nothing more than a spy was devastating. I told no one, not even Chiron. It was too painful and embarrassing to admit how badly I'd been duped. Besides, it wasn't as if she could give Kronos information he didn't already know or suspect. I had already been proved to be incompetent two times previously, no need to let them know I'd found out the third time _wasn't_ the charm.

The fact that Jenny had been uprooted was common knowledge was common knowledge but not the reason behind her departure-that she was done with her attempts to gather information about the camp, and more importantly, Percy. It was obvious in hindsight that my status as Percy's best friend was the only reason she had even acknowledged me much less led me on.

And that brought me back to Juniper. I was afraid of getting to know her; was she just another heart-breaking, confidence-shattering spy? But I was also afraid of having to admit my faults to her as I grew closer. Inevitably I developed feelings for the kindly nymph after attempting to give her the cold shoulder.

I lasted only a week.

For a month, I hesitantly forged a genuine friendship with Juniper. I also began to appreciate her beauty; the way her green eyes lit up when she laughed or the quirk of her lips that meant I was about to become part of some scheme. Ironically, my "fling" with the blueberry bush, as Juniper calls it ended up driving me to her, not away.

Now, I'd blown all of it. She had been storming off in a huff over something a camper had said, and I'd chased after her. Juniper had shouted, insisting I go away. Grabbing her arm, I'd knocked her off balance, taking us into a river. Hooves are great for mountains and forests, but not raging rivers.

The naiads were all stirred up (probably that we'd disturbed their peace so abruptly) and in turn the river became more and more agitated. This was bad- Juniper had a deathly fear of water. Eventually my hoof got caught in between two stones and using that as an anchor, I grabbed Juniper and didn't let go. I could feel her shaking and don't think she even registered my presence. If she could I'm sure she would have returned to her tree right then and there.

However she was technically in another spirit's domain (the river) so it wouldn't have been possible even if she had the concentration to melt away. I managed to drag us out.

She sat on the shore crying, soaked and looking very small, and when I went in for damage control, my hoof caught in a vine, causing me to trip and flatten her. Somehow, I ended up beneath her. This had to be Nemesis's work, probably as a favor for Mr. D.

"Juniper, I'm so sorry," I say, not knowing where to begin, "I'll never bother you again. I'll do whatever you want, be your servant!"

I knew after this I would be lucky to be on her friends list; anything beyond that was out of reach, forever.

Juniper's eyes narrow and then she grins slyly, leaning in, kissing me.

Fear. Confusion. Surprise. Disbelief. Suspicion. Joy.

I can't believe it! She should be furious, never wanting to speak to my furry butt again, and what about my onion breath and-

"Be my boyfriend."

Stunned, I can only nod dumbly as she leans in for another kiss.

Words: 1, 935

11/18/10

Constructive criticism and praise are welcomed (anticipated). Only way to improve, isn't it? Personally I felt the ending was its weakest point. Rushed. But maybe that is just me. This is just a warm up! I'm in the midst of planning a Son of Neptune fic, after quite frankly being disappointed that I had to sift through trash until finding one decent Lost Hero sequel, "Who is this boy?" by kittkatt4eva.

**Edited 11/20/10 for clarification and to strengthen the ending. Also found a few other decent Son of Neptune fics :) **


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